James Blech

 Colonel James Blech is the Commander, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. He is responsible for conducting Undergraduate and Graduate Pilot Training for the United States Air Force and partner nations. The Wing is composed of 212 aircraft flying more than 46,000 sorties and 65,000 hours while training over 400 pilots and combat systems officers annually. 

Colonel Blech entered the Air Force through the United States Air Force Academy in 2003 and earned his pilot wings at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas in 2005. His early career was marked by multiple aircrew and staff deployments to the Middle East and Europe in support of operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. Colonel Blech has served as a staff officer for the Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs and as the Chief of the Commander’s Action Group, United States Transportation Command. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Blech attended the National War College at Fort McNair, Washington, District of Columbia. 

Colonel Blech is a Command Pilot with over 3,000 flying hours in the KC-135R/T and T-6A, including more than 1,400 combat hours flown in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel. His wife, Lieutenant Colonel Stephanie Blech, is a KC-135 pilot and is a United Air Force Academy Liaison Officer in the Air Force Reserve. They have two children, Cora (8) and Audrey (6).